Geoscience takes to the skies: Falcon searches for next discovery

The world’s most advanced airborne gravity equipment will take to the skies this week, as a gold and base metals miner searches for its next big discovery.Aurelia Metals has contracted Xcalibur Multiphysics to perform a Falcon Survey of its land holding in the Cobar Basin, aiming to measure the extremely small variations in the Earth’s natural gravity.

During the survey, a turbine powered Cessna flies at a stable, low speed approximately 80m – 100m above the ground on lines spaced 200 metres apart. The gravity sensing equipment carried in the aircraft collects data for geologists to interpret the nature of rocks and structures within the Earth’s crust.

From the data, geologists can build 3D models to predict potential mineral resources that could be developed into gold or metals mines.

Aurelia Metals’ Exploration Manager, Todd McGilvray said the aircraft’s gravity-sensing equipment is world class and a cutting-edge alternative to traditional exploration activities. “Traditional exploration requires drill rigs that drill deep into the earth’s surface to detect mineralisation that may or may not be there – it can be like trying to find a needle in a haystack,” Mr McGilvray said.

“The Falcon Survey is a modern exploration technique that measures gravity to detect similar characteristics found in the orebodies at our Peak and Hera mines located in the same region.

“The survey also lessens any disturbance to the environment by zeroing in on the exact area to commence drilling rather than relying on more invasive and time-consuming exploration techniques.”

The technology was first developed for autonomous navigation in submarines which requires extremely high sensitivity levels and has become a world leading, direct detection tool for mineral exploration.

The survey will fly in lines totalling more than 3,800 kilometres within eight of the Company’s highly prospective tenements between the central west towns of Cobar and Nymagee.

“Aurelia Metals has been fortunate to make several exciting discoveries of high-grade resources over the last five years, and we are hoping the Falcon Survey will uncover our next new mine,” Mr McGilvray said.

Xcalibur will be conducting the survey over Aurelia Metals’ tenements for the next week.

Click here to watch the Prime 7 News (Central West) story about the survey.